Vigneti di Ettore

The estate was established in 1930, when Gioanin Righetti purchased the Casetta and surrounding vineyards. Ettore, Gioanin’s son, invested a tremendous amount of time and energy into renovating the vineyards, and with thankful foresight, purchased additional nearby land in the most suitable areas of Negrar Valley. Once the vineyards were ready, the first grapes were vinified in 2011. The estate is now managed by Ettore’s son Giampaolo, and his son Gabriele, who has a degree in Oenology. The vineyards now total nearly 19 hectares divided into 5 plots, in the best cru in Negrar Valley: Moron, Jago, Osteria Vecchia, Costa del Buso and Casetta.
The soil is quite varied, including alluvial, basaltic tuff of volcanic origin and clay. All the soil is skeletal, a characteristic that makes the wines very flavorful, fresh and elegant. The vineyards are planted with the traditional and indigenous varieties of Valpolicella: Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Croatina, Molinara, Pelara, and Oseleta. The vines are between 15 and 50 years old and the total average production is 80,000 bottles. The harvest is carried out by hand, and the grapes are placed in boxes with a capacity of 6.5 kilograms. First the grapes for Valpolicella Ripasso, Amarone and Recioto are picked, then the grapes for Valpolicella and the IGT/proprietary wine “Doline” are picked.
The vineyard management is strictly environmentally friendly, and the estate is practicing organic. The aim is to produce classical wines that can express the character of these indigenous varieties and of this very special zone. Therefore, the procedures in the cellar are not invasive with a very careful use of wood. Giampaolo and Gabriele prefer wines that are fresh, well balanced, and elegant, with the right amount of acidity, making them pleasant to drink and able to age for a long time.